Wood ash

In the New Year we have to replant some rhododendrons. They are growing in large boxes with erichaceous compost at the moment. Would it be a good idea to save our wood ash to help with the soil ph when we move them ?

Our land has a very high pH so we don't add it directly either. We compost it separately from the three main heaps then add it a little at a time.

I've3 always used wood ash from the wood burner in the garden- and yet there is currently a big debate about wood ash containing Chromium 6, which is deemed a cancer risk.

So I don't use it directly in the vegetable plot and compost it- small amounts in one of my 8 compost bins- as this transforms it in inocuous Chromium 3. The verdict is still out and controversy 'raging' here.

I just scatter it round the garden especially around fruit bushes, brassicas and fruit trees. I do not bother to dig it in. I let the worms and rain do that for me.

I do not have any pets and have not found that it turns into a sticky mess when wet.

We used to put stored wood ash from our woodburner around the flower beds, but in dry weather our cat and rabbit got it all over their paws. Unless it is dug in well, it also makes a sticky mess in wet weather. We have a fairly large garden and digging it in was a big job, so we have stopped using it. DH empties all the used growbags in which we had veg, onto the beds, in Autumn.

From RHS ......
Wood ash: using in the garden

"Ash from wood fires, such as bonfires or wood burning stoves, can be a useful additive to the compost heap or can be applied directly to fallow ground and dug in. It can be a natural source of potassium and trace elements. It also has a liming effect, so wood ash can remedy excessively acidic soils."
It should not be dumped around plants straight away, it needs to break down a bit.

Very good around brassicas too, if you have soil where clubroot might be a problem.

Very good around apple trees.

And slugs hate it.

Also helps to smother weeds.

It's good around fruit bushes like gooseberries as well.

DH puts all the ash from our wood burner round the trees - becomes the same as potash I think - or we dig it in. Years ago I found it was good along with some compost for making clay type soil lighter.